BooksBarbecue
Back A Simple Lie Save as PDF
Chapters (48)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. Acknowledgements
  46. A note from the publisher
  47. Love crime, thriller and mystery books?
  48. You will also enjoy:

“You can’t be serious,” Jack said, stunned. “The link you have to Francine Donohue is weak. A gum wrapper under her bed? It’s circumstantial. Hell, talk about staging.”

“There’s more evidence. This is a little more concrete. We found DNA on his clothing.”

“I would expect Julia’s DNA to be on it. He said that her blood got on him. There was never any question we would find her DNA on his clothes.”

“It’s not Julia’s DNA we’re concerned about. Francine Donohue’s DNA was detected on his pants, quite a bit of it actually. He knew this woman.”

Val heard the words, but she couldn’t believe it. She watched Jack’s eyes open wide, the surprise evident. Thomas just pursed his lips together before he said, “This makes no sense. DNA from both women got on the same pair of pants?”

“Killers can be very ritualistic, even down to wearing the same clothing for each murder,” Gavin said. “You should know that, Thomas.”

“So, you’re also not concerned that this scene is staged in a way that makes no sense if Colin is guilty?” Thomas insisted.

“Colin is guilty. You have to accept that. All of the evidence points to him.”

“It also points away from him too. The staging tells us that.”

“Tell me how Francine Donohue’s DNA got on his clothing then. How do you stage that Thomas?”

23

Jack stopped the car. Thomas sat next to him. Val and Gwen were in the backseat. Good crime investigation focused on following leads, re-examining evidence—going after every shred of evidence until all was exhausted. New day. New perspective. Something may jump out at you. This is what Thomas and Jack told Val as she looked at the apartment that belonged to Stanley Wallace, the manager of the Eastville Projects. Francine Donohue’s place was vacant and he’d agreed to let the group see it again.

Though she had originally liked the thought, that she’d be seeing this place again, that Jack and Thomas wanted her opinion, Val began to wonder if she should be here or not.

Her doubts had been brought on by Gavin, who had had a talk with her about getting involved in this case. The detective had stressed the huge risk she was taking by being around Jack and Thomas. “If Blythe finds out, you’ll lose your job,” he said seriously. Gavin had agreed to keep it quiet that she had been to Julia’s house. “But,” he’d added, “there is only so much I can do if you persist with this. I’m giving you my honest opinion here: Thomas and Jack are taking this case in an absurd direction. It’s insane to think that Colin could be innocent.”